Kiwi plant named ‘AU Golden Dragon’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of the species  Actinidia chinesis  Planch is described. ‘AU Golden Dragon’ has a low chilling requirement, fruit is very early maturing, excellent flavor with a non acid sweet taste, and high soluble solids and dry matter content. ‘AU Golden Dragon’ matures about 50 days ahead of ‘Hort 16A’ (patented), the industry standard for golden flesh kiwi, therefore, the two cultivars will not compete in the market place. ‘AU Golden Dragon’ fruit quality indices are similar to fruit quality indices of ‘Hort 16A’ (patented). There have been no differences in plant performance and fruit quality of ‘AU Golden Dragon’ plants grown in China and Central Alabama.

Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: Actinidiachinensis Planch.

Variety denomination: ‘AU GOLDEN DRAGON’.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/711,204, filed on Feb. 23, 2010, andentitled “KIWI PLANT NAMED ‘AU GOLDEN TIGER’” and U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 12/711,194, filed on Feb. 23, 2010, and entitled“KIWI PLANT NAMED ‘AU GOLDEN SUNSHINE’” are both incorporated byreference herein. “AU Golden Tiger' is the male pollenizer used with “AUGolden Sunshine'. ‘AU Golden Sunshine’ is a female variety used as acompanion and as a comparison cultivar with ‘AU Golden Dragon’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Seed were collected from fruit produced by open pollinated and unnamedkiwi plants of Actinidia chinensis Planch growing in a cultivated areaof Fang County Hubei Province of P.R. China. Seedlings developed fromthe collected seeds were planted and grown in an experimental orchardand evaluated for fruit quality parameters, maturity date, flesh colorand appearance. ‘AU Golden Dragon’ was selected as a potentialcommercial cultivar from this experimental evaluation planting becauseof its excellent plant performance, earliness of maturity and fruitquality, fragrance and yield. ‘AU Golden Dragon’ has the best fruitquality and performance of the very early maturing cultivars ofActinidia chinensis Planch. The new cultivar is able to be asexuallyreproduced by softwood and hardwood rooted cuttings or by budding orgrafting onto a seedling or rooted cutting grown rootstock with theunique characteristics being transferred through succeeding asexualpropagations. In China ‘AU Golden Dragon’ was vegetatively propagated bygrafting and planted for evaluation in experimental plantings inShanghui, Jiangsu, Fusion and Shanxi provinces. ‘AU Golden Dragon’ wasvegetatively propagated by softwood and hardwood cuttings and cleftgrafting for evaluation in experimental plantings in Central Alabama.This cultivar has had excellent and equal performance in both China andAlabama test locations. The fruit of ‘AU Golden Dragon’ is elliptical inshape with a brown smooth skin, very early maturity, excellent flavorwith a non acid sweet taste, and high soluble solids and percent drymatter content.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct low chillingrequirement yellow fleshed kiwi cultivar of Actinidia chinensis Planchthat produces elliptical shaped fruit that ripens very early in the kiwiripening season. The fruit skin is brown with short tomentose hairs. Thefruit have high soluble solids and percent dry matter content and theflavor of the fruit is excellent, with a mild non-acid sweet taste.

The new cultivar is able to be asexually reproduced by softwood andhardwood cuttings or by budding or grafting onto a seedling or rootedcutting grown rootstock with stability through succeeding asexualpropagations.

‘AU Golden Dragon’ is early blooming, very early maturing, yellowfleshed cultivar with high soluble solid contents, high percent drymatter and has very fine soft hairs on the brown skin surface.

Vegetative bud break on ‘AU Golden Dragon’ occurs around March 15-20,and the bloom period begins during the last week of March to the firstweek of April. The plant blooms over an extended period of about 14days. ‘AU Golden Dragon’ average fruit maturity and harvest date isAugust 15-20, in contrast to ‘AU Golden Sunshine’ average fruit maturityand harvest date is September 10 and ‘Hort 16A’ (U.S. Pat. No. 11,066)average fruit maturity and harvest date is October 10. Fruit qualitydata was collected at harvest and after a 30 day cold treatment andfruit allowed to soften at room temperature (Table 1).

The percent soluble solids and dry matter content and the internal hueangle of the fruit flesh did not vary after the cold storage andsoftening periods. At harvest ‘Hort 16A’ (patented) had the highestpercent soluble solids and ‘AU Golden Dragon’ had the lowest percentsoluble solids, but there were no differences in percent dry mattercontent or internal hue angle. ‘AU Golden Dragon’ fruit has a totalacidity (% citric acid) of 1.2.

Kiwi plants are dioecious and have vegetative and compound buds withflower clusters produced in the leaf axils of the first four to sixnodes. Male and female flowers are perfect morphologically. The femaleflower contains some anthers but only the stigma is functional, whereasthe flower on a male vine typically produces 125 to 185 large anthersthat surround a small, vestigial stigma.

Kiwi buds enter endodormancy during winter, which requires a minimumnumber of chilling hours for maximum budbreak and bloom. Floraluniformity and density in spring is directly related to the amount ofchilling received during winter. It is believed the more accuratemeasure of chilling hours is Richardson units, which are defined as theaccumulated hours between 0° C. and 7° C. For maximum bud break andflowering of ‘AU Golden Dragon’ to occur, it was determined that 800hours of chilling were required, and after the chilling requirement wasmet, 9500 growing degree hours were necessary for bud break. The lowgrowing degree hours necessary for vegetative growth and bloom to occurresults in the early growth and flowering of ‘AU Golden Dragon’ which insome years could result in damage from late spring frost. ‘AU GoldenDragon’ has performed well in central Alabama, which has an averagewinter chilling of 800-1200 hours.

‘AU Golden Dragon’ blooms earlier in the spring and its fruit ripensearlier in the fall than does ‘Hort 16A’ (patented). The first bloomsopen on ‘AU Golden Dragon’ were on March 30 and petal fall occurredabout April 16-18. Open blooms were evident on ‘Hort 16A’ (patented) onApril 8, and petal fall occurred about April 17. ‘AU Golden Dragon’ hasan elliptical fruit shape in comparison to the ovoid fruit shape of‘Hort 16A’ (patented). The stylar end of ‘Hort 16A’ (patented) has amuch greater protrusion than does ‘AU Golden Dragon’. Fruit of ‘AUGolden Dragon’ matures August 15-20 in comparison to the fruit of ‘Hort16A’ (patented) maturing October 10.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a photograph of ‘AU Golden Dragon’ bloom density on 8 year oldplants.

FIG. 2 is a photograph of ‘AU Golden Dragon’ in full bloomon 8 year oldplants.

FIG. 3 is a photograph of ‘AU Golden Dragon’ vine crop load on 8 yearold plants.

FIG. 4 is a photograph of ‘AU Golden Dragon’ individual fruit on vine on8 year old plants.

FIG. 5 is a photograph of ‘AU Golden Dragon’ fruit shape on 8 year oldplants.

FIG. 6 is a photograph of ‘AU Golden Dragon’ flesh color.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Kiwi plants are large deciduous shrubs that originated in China and aredioecious, can climb up to 25 feet, and have alternate, broadly roundedpetiolate leaves. The cream colored flowers that grow in axillary cymesmature into ovate to oblong fruits (berries) with brownish, hairy skins.There are over 50 species in the genus Actinidia. The two Actinidiaspecies of the most commercial importance are deliciosa and chinensis.‘Hort 16A’ (patented) is the most important yellow flesh chinensiscultivar in the commercial trade. The kiwi plant is dioecious therebyrequiring male pollinizers in the presence of the female plants toensure fruit production. The male and female plants bloom period has tobe at the same time for pollination to occur. The bloom period varieswith each cultivar depending upon the chilling requirement and thegrowing degree hour requirement after the chilling requirement has beenmet. Actinidia are temperate zone plants that prefer well drained moistand rich soil and grows as well in a sunny as in a half-shady position.

The new cultivar ‘AU Golden Dragon’ is pistillate, with imperfectflowers, e.g. the flowers produce only sterile pollen and thus require apollinizer for fruit production. The male cultivar ‘Hortkiwi Meteor’(not patented) bloom period occurs with ‘AU Golden Dragon’ bloom periodand is the pollinizer used with ‘AU Golden Dragon’. The bloom period of‘AU Golden Dragon’ begins late March on average about March 28-30 whichis 6-8 days before the bloom period of ‘Hort 16A’ (patented) begins.

The new cultivar is able to be asexually reproduced by softwood andhardwood cuttings or by grafting or budding onto a seedling or cuttinggrown rootstock with the unique characteristics coming true to form andare established and transmitted through succeeding asexual propagations.‘AU Golden Dragon’ has been asexually propagated by rooting softwood andhardwood cuttings and grafting in China and Alabama.

The distinctive characteristics of this new kiwi cultivar described indetail below have been observed in field experiments in central Alabamaand China. The ‘Hort 16A’ (patented) cultivar was evaluated in the samefield experiments in Alabama and was used as the standard cultivar forcomparison.

The general fruit shape of ‘AU Golden Dragon’ is elliptical whereas thegeneral shape of ‘Hort 16A’ (patented) is ovoid. The fruit cross-sectionat medium is round with ‘AU Golden Dragon’ and is elliptic with ‘Hort16A’ (patented). The general fruit shape at the stylar end is slightlyprotruding on ‘AU Golden Dragon’ in comparison to a very pronouncedprotrusion on ‘Hort 16A’ (patented). The fruit shape of the shoulder onthe stalk end is rounded and flat on ‘AU Golden Dragon’ and rounded on‘Hort 16A’ (patented).

‘AU Golden Dragon’ is the maternal parent of ‘AU Golden Tiger’ and is acompanion and comparison fruiting cultivar to ‘AU Golden Sunshine’. ‘AUGolden Dragon’ fruit matures 20 days before fruit of ‘AU GoldenSunshine’ and 50 days before fruit of ‘Hort 16A’ (patented). Fruitquality is very similar between the three female cultivars, ‘AU GoldenDragon’, ‘AU Golden Sunshine’ and ‘Hort 16A’ (patented), however theydiffer in bloom date, fruit maturity date, and fruit shape.

‘AU Golden Dragon’ is a good source of health promoting qualities suchas vitamin C, antioxidant capacity, β carotene and total phenolics(Table 2).

Table 3 below illustrates the specific differences between the ‘AUGolden Dragon’ cultivar and the ‘Hort 16A’ (patented) cultivar fromvines 6-14 years old.

TABLE 3 ‘Hort 16A’ ‘AU Golden Dragon’ (patented) Plant Plant: sexexpression female (flowers imperfect) Plant: ploidy diploid (2n = 2x =58) Plant: vigor strong Young shoot: hairs present Young shoot: densityof medium hairs Young shoot: type of short hairs Young shoot: antho-absent, N199B cyanin coloration of growing tip Young shoot: antho-absent, N199B cyanin coloration of leaf axil Plant: average height andplant is a vigorous vine. spread They are grown on a trellis (either aT-bar or pergola trellis system) in which the plant is allotted acertain space of which it rapidly fills and is maintained in this spaceby both winter and summer pruning. The trellis is six feet off theground and the plant is allowed each summer to grow and hang down oneach side. Stem Stem: coloration of leaf absent, N199B axil Stem:diameter medium Stem base diameter mean 12.90 mm mean 11.0 mm (range10.01-16.46 mm) (range 8.3-13.3 mm) Stem mid section mean 9.36 mm notavailable diameter (range 7.26-11 mm) Stem: dormant bud 3.6 mm (2.8-4.67mm) 6.9 mm (4.9-8.3 diameter mm) Stem: color on upper side grey brown,N199B dark brown, 200B- of shoot 200C-165A Stem: character of barksmooth Stem: hairs present Stem: conspicuousness of weak conspicuouslenticels Stem: number of lenticels few medium Stem: color of lenticelsalmond/ivory, 199D brownish-white Stem: size of bud support medium Stem:visibility of bud visible (dormant canes) Stem: number of hairs mediumvisible high on bud (dormant canes) Stem: leaf scar mean length 5.3 mm(3.6- medium 6.1 mm) mean width 5.4 mm (4.2- 6.5 mm) Leaf (Mature) Leafshape: orbicular to broadly ovate very broadly ovate Leaf base shape:cordate, lobes large, non- to cordate slightly overlapping Leaf tipshape: rounded, with broad cuspidate cuspidate tip Leaf margin: entireciliate Leaf adaxial surface: medium green; glossy, light-mediumglabrous except sparse, green, medium unbranched hairs along glossiness,146A main veins, 147A Leaf abaxial surface: light green; dense, stellatelight green, 147B pubescence everywhere except along veins which aredensely tomentose with unbranched hairs, 147B Leaf length (cm): 18.8(15.6-24.8) 17 (14.5-19.8) Leaf width (cm): 14.7 (11.9-16.9) 18.6(15.9-21.7) Leaf ratio (l/w): 1.3 (1.0-1.5) Leaf petiole length (cm):5.9 (4.4-8.7) 16.7 (10-25) Leaf 1° vein pinnate; veins terminatingorganization: as small extended points or mucros at leaf margins Leaf 2°vein [ ]parallel organization: Leaf puckering: weak to moderate weakLeaf variegation: none Leaf spines on lower leaf none; dense stellatehairs surface: Petiole: 147C Pedicel: N199A Flower Inflorescence: mean 4(range 3-5) mean 1.0 predominate number flower buds/stem 1° Pedicellength (cm): 2.91 (2.1-3.4) 4.2 (3.0-4.9) 2° Pedicel length (cm): n/an/a Pedicel pubescence: minutely, densely tomentose, unbranched Sepal#:6.7 (6-13) >5 Sepal color: greyed-green to slightly rust colored atmargin, 191B Sepal pubescence: minutely, densely tomentose, unbranchedFlower color: creamy white, 155D White, 155D Flower width (cm): 3.1(2.8-3.5) 1.8 (1.6-1.9) Petal orientation: distinctly overlapping:overlapping sides reflexing Petal #: 6.6 (6-8) 8 (6-10) Petal length(cm): 1.6 (1.4-1.8) 2.3 (2.1-2.5) Petal width (cm): 1.2 (1.0-1.5) 1.8(1.6-1.9) Petal ratio (l/w): 1.3 (1.0-1.6) 1.3 (1.1-1.5) Ovary shape:globose Ovary pubescence: short, densely tomentose strongly expressedStyle#: 33 (28-38) 30.85 (26 - 36) Style orientation: erect to spreadingerect Stamen#: 70.6 (65-78) Anther length (mm): 2.0-2.5 Filament: 155DAnther: 169D Chilling requirement 800 hours: Fruit Fruit: average weight(g) 88.2 98.3 (30.5-130.9) (43-176) Fruit: length (mm) 61.6 79.1(48.8-73.0) (76.0-84.2) Fruit: width (max) (mm) 54.8 53.1 (46.3-61.7)(55.4-48.1) Fruit: L/A ratio (max 1.12 1.49 width) Fruit: width (min)(mm) 47.6 49.1 (40.8-52.3) (47.0-51.2) Fruit: L/D ratio (min 1.29 1.61width) Fruit: core diameter 18.6 13.1 (max) (mm) (4.9-28.0) (9.1-17)Fruit: core diameter 5.4 4.9 (min) (mm) (2.5-15.8) (4.1-6.1) Fruit:locule number 29.7 34.5 (26-32) (26-37) Fruit: peduncle length 27.8848.3 (mm) (19.11-33.81) (44.7-50.3) Fruit: peduncle width 1.95 3.57 (mm)(12-2.85) (3.2-4.3) Fruit: general shape elliptical ovoid Fruit:cross-section at round elliptic median Fruit: general shape ofprotruding stylar end Fruit: shape of shoulder rounded, flat rounded onstalk end Fruit: skin color at Brown, N199A yellow-brown harvest Fruit:skin color change absent yellow-brown during ripening Fruit: skin colorat Brown, N199A combination of maturity for consumption 199A plus 161AFruit: hairs present medium Fruit: density of hairs light pubescentFruit: types of hairs tomentose Fruit: hair length (mm) short(0.05-0.12) Fruit: concentration of uniform hairs Fruit: adherence ofhairs weak to skin (when rubbed) Fruit: core diameter (at large (13.8 mmby 5.6 small largest diameter) mm) Fruit: core shape (in ellipticalcross section) Fruit: core woody spike present Fruit: prominence of corepresent weak woody spike Fruit: outer pericarp yellow green, 152C-152Dgolden yellow, color at maturity for 12C-12B consumption Fruit: innerpericarp yellow green, 148A brownish-yellow, color (locules) at162A-162C maturity for consumption Fruit: core color at greyed-yellow,160C white, 159C maturity Fruit: seed color at dark brown, 200A 200Amaturity in flesh Fruit: seed color when greyed-orange, 165D brown, 200Ddry Notes regarding Table 3: 1. Horticulture terminology is used inaccordance with revised UPOV guidelines for kiwi. 2. Characters ofcomparison cultivar ‘Hort 16A’ (patented) are noted opposite thatcharacter when significantly different. 3. ‘Hort 16A’ (patented) plantswere observed in the same study as the new cultivar. 4. All dimensionsare in millimeters unless otherwise stated; weights are in grams. 5. TheRHS 1966 color chart was used to determine actual color.

TABLE 1 Fruit Quality at harvest and after 30 days cold storagetreatment of three Actinidia chinensis Planch golden kiwi cultivarsgrown in central Alabama and China. Harvest^(z) Soluble Dry InternalFirmness Solids Matter Hue Cultivar (Kg) (%) (%) Angle ‘Au GoldenDragon’ 4.4b^(y) 6.6c 17.2 104 ‘AU Golden Sunshine’ 4.7b 8.6b 18.5 100‘Hort 16A’ (patented) 5.8a 11.7a 21.0 30 Days Cold Storage^(x) SolubleDry Internal Firmness Solids Matter Hue Cultivar (Kg) (%) (%) Angle ‘AuGolden Dragon’ 1.1 15.2 18.0 99 ‘AU Golden Sunshine’ 0.0 15.7 18.5 94‘Hort 16A’ (patented) 105 2.0 17.4 21.0 ^(z)Means derived from datataken in the 2006, 2008, 2009 and 2010 growing seasons. There was notfruit in 2007 due to a late spring frost killing flower buds. ^(y)Meanseparation within columns by Duncan's Multiple Range Test p = 0.05,columns without letters were not significantly different. ^(x)Meansderived from data taken in 2003, 2004, 2008, 2009 and 2010 for ‘AuGolden Dragon’ and ‘AU Golden Sunshine” and in 2009 and 2010 for ‘Hort16A’ (patented).

TABLE 2 Phytochemical properties of ‘AU Golden Dragon’ and ‘AU GoldenSunshine’ cultivars. Phytochemical properties ‘AU Golden Dragon’ ‘AUGolden Sunshine’ Ascorbic acid 96.98 94.43 (mg/100 g FW) Vitamin Cequivalent 161.60 177.90 Antioxidant capacity (VCEA) B carotene 0.200.23 (mg/100 g FW) Chlorophyll a 0.11 0.12 (mg/100 g FW) Chlorophyll b0.06 0.05 (mg/100 g FW) Total Phenolics 135.70 155.50 (mg GAE/100 g FW)

1. A new and distinct variety of Actinidia chinensis Planch plant named‘AU Golden Dragon’ substantially as described and illustrated herein.